A question concerning similes & commas

"The taste of blood lingers in his mouth, like copper."

The taste = article "The" adjective pointing out "taste" a noun and subject of the sentence

of blood = adjective prepositional phrase modifying "taste." It answers the question, "The taste of what?" The taste of blood.

lingers = is the verb

in his mouth = adverbial prepositional phrase modifying "lingers." It answers the question, "Where does it linger?" In his mouth.

like copper = adjective prepositional phrase modifying "taste." It answers the question, "What does the blood taste like?" It tastes like copper.

Your statement with direct quote and my emphasis:

"Not a compound sentence. A compound sentence is a "sentence composed of two or more main clauses joined together, but not containing any subordinate clauses" (John E. Warriner, English Workshop: Third Course, page 129). In his English Grammar and Composition (1982), Warriner warns the reader "not [to] confuse a simple sentence containing a compound subject or a compound verb with a compound sentence" (130)."

Jack, you quote correctly, but you misunderstand what is being said in the quote because you don’t fully understand. I will explain.

"They liked the cake, and they took seconds home." = *Compound sentence with two main clauses:

They like the cake.

They took seconds home.

and = conjunction connecting the two main clauses to form one compound sentence.

This is a compound subject sentence:

Bill and John went to the movies together. (two subjects and one verb)

This is a compound verb sentence:

He laughed and cried throughout the whole movie. (two verbs: laughed, cried, and one subject "He."

It takes practice to see the difference between the three.

"He wanted ice cream, but he was cold."

Jack, learn what a clause is and then learn the two types of clauses: From Warriner’s:

4a. “ A clause is a group of words that contains a verb and its subject and is used as part of a sentence.”

4b. “An independent (or main) clause expresses a complete thought and can stand by itself.”

4c. “A subordinate (or depenent) clause does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone.” E.g.

SUBORDINATE CLAUSES before you know it

because I told him

after the show is over

“He wanted ice cream, but he was cold.”

THE FIRST MAIN CLAUS: He wanted ice cream. (this is a complete sentence; again, also known as a main clause)

He = pronoun and subject of the sentence.

wanted = verb (transitive)

ice cream = compound noun, direct object of the verb "ice cream."

and = conjunction Quote: "A conjunction joins words or groups of words" End Quote—Warriner’s

THE SECOND MAIN CLAUSE: He was cold. (this too is a complete sentence; again, also known as a main clause)

He = subject

Was = linking verb

Cold = predicate adjective; it answers the question; “He was what?” He was cold.

And = again, a conjunction joining the two MAIN clauses

Now here is a compound sentence with two main clauses, each with a dual subject and dual verb :

(Study it carefully)

Carol and Sue yelled and jumped up and down with excitement as they watched the parade, and the clowns and animals fascinated and thrilled them the most.

/r/grammar Thread Parent